Page 18 of Chosen: The Lenkov Journals

Theo

Theo tapped his pen against the closed cover of his journal. The journal that he would be adding to. If he could figure out what to write. He liked the idea of doing his journal like a diary. To show the other generations that came after him everything.

Next semester he was totally going to take a class in writing. This was harder than he thought. Theo also wanted to get started so he didn’t forget anything that happened. His meeting of his mates would make for an epic reading.

Ethan stopped speaking suddenly and Theo realized he hadn’t really been listening to his roommate at all.

“You okay, bud?” Ethan asked.

“I’m good.” Ethan didn’t know about the supernatural community. He could talk to Ethan about his classes but there was only so much he could share when it came to his other concerns. Also, the fact that Theo was feeling a little lost being separated from his mates. Even though they texted all day and called every night, Theo missed his men. He often found himself running his fingers across his mating mark. Just like he was currently doing.

Ethan’s gaze dropped down to Theo’s arm.

Theo had thought about hiding the mating mark from Ethan, but it would be difficult to do when Theo lived with the guy. They did get naked or nearly naked around each other sometimes.

“I still can’t believe you and Wylder went and got tattoos. I am so jealous!” Ethan grinned.

Theo shrugged. It wasn’t just him and Wylder. Theo hadn’t figured out how to tell his roommate that he had four boyfriends. “It felt right.”

Ethan nodded. “I’ve always followed my gut instincts. It was something that my father was adamant about as me and my brothers were growing up. He told us to listen to that little voice in our head. It saved me a few times in my life too. If it felt right, then I believe you. It’s awesome too, man!”

“Thanks, Ethan.” Theo peered at his roommate closely. Ethan was human. There was no doubt in Theo’s mind. He might not know a lot about the other worlds but even his nose could tell the difference between human and other . Still there were times when Ethan would say something that Theo wondered how his roommate would take the supernatural or other world. Was it something that Ethan could handle?

Ethan was Theo’s very first friend and he’d hate when they didn’t room together any longer. He hated the thought they wouldn’t remain friends. No, Theo wouldn’t let that happen. Ethan had already taught him so much and Theo would make an extra effort to stay in contact with him.

“Alright, T!” Ethan said, heading toward the door. “I’m going to hit the showers. You’re meeting Wylder for dinner, right?”

“Yeah, I’m about to leave,” Theo told him.

“I might see you at the dining hall in a little bit.” Ethan left the room, closing the door behind him, and Theo flopped back onto his mattress.

He’d been hoping that one of his other mates would be able to come for dinner as well, but he’d just got the messages that they were all busy. Mitch was in hell handling his sire’s business, Dario had a late dinner meeting, and Aleksander was with his brothers helping the pack with something. At least Wylder always had time for him. No, that wasn’t fair. His other mates were trying, but life just seemed determined to keep them apart. He needed to give his mates a break. It wasn’t like Theo was rushing to change his schedule or anything.

Hearing a sudden tap, tap, tap, Theo sat up quickly.

What the heck?

Slowly he rose, cocking his head, trying to figure out what was going on. The sound wasn’t coming from the interior door.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Should he call Wylder?

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The window! How was someone or something tapping on the window? Theo lived on the third floor of the dorms!

Theo shuffled forward, grabbing the lamp off the nightstand just in case before he shoved the dark curtain aside and gasped. “Garrett!” He set the lamp down before pushing open the window.

Hanging upside down, Garrett grinned at him. Fangs on full display but Theo wasn’t scared. Garrett was his newest friend.

“What are you doing?” Theo cried. He stuck his head out the window and looked up where Garrett was clinging to the side of the building with his massive claws. “What if you fall?”

Very slowly, Garrett lifted one hand and petted Theo’s cheek.

Theo giggled. He was so happy to see his new gargoyle friend. True to his word, Josh had found Theo on campus, and they’d quickly figured out a schedule so that several times they walked to classes together or hung out under Theo's favorite tree. Wylder had been the one that broached the topic of Garrett, which always had Josh stammering and blushing. It seemed the crush went both ways. Josh knew a lot about gargoyles and had been happy to share with Theo and Wylder.

One important aspect of gargoyles was the fact that they imprinted themselves on people. If a gargoyle felt a special bond with anyone, they would imprint on that person so that there was a magical connection. It wasn’t just mates or families. A gargoyle could imprint on as many and for whatever reason that made sense to them.

As Theo had felt an instant connection with Garrett, he wondered if maybe Garrett had chosen him as a friend? He was too shy to ask, but seeing the gargoyle there made Theo so very happy.

“Would you like to come in?” Theo offered.

Garrett slowly shook his head before he smiled. According to Josh, Garrett currently had two out of three forms. His final form when he reached five hundred would give him the ability to pass as human. Garrett not being able to speak yet didn’t seem to bother Josh and it didn’t bother Theo either.

Leaving the window open, Theo walked to his bed and sat on the side. He started to pull on his shoes.

“Well, I’m about to meet Wylder and Josh for dinner. We were going to the dining hall but if you’d like to hang with us, we can have a picnic under the tree across the way.”

Garrett’s ears perked up before he nodded slowly.

“Perfect!” Theo sent a quick text to Wylder asking him to grab Josh and pick up dinner before meeting Theo under their tree. They ate there often and it felt like their special place. He also told Wylder that Garrett had surprised him with a visit but not to tell Josh yet. That would be a nice little surprise for his other new friend.

Theo finished tying his shoes before he grabbed the hoodie that Wylder had let him borrow. Theo knew he was going to have to wash it soon, since he’d been wearing it every day that week, but he loved how it smelt like his mate. And it was big enough that Theo could wrap it around himself, feeling like he was getting a hug.

“Okay, all ready. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Garrett gave him a thumbs-up before his wings burst from his back and he floated from the building.

Theo instantly felt silly. Of course, Garrett wouldn’t have fallen even if he hadn’t had his claws in the side of the building. He could fly. Or glide was how Josh explained it. Not that he thought he’d offended the gargoyle or anything. Theo was new to this world even though he’d been born a shifter. Luckily no one seemed upset when he made a mistake or said something silly. Theo was surrounded by the best people ever!

He hurriedly closed and locked the window before pulling the curtains back in place. Maybe he wasn’t able to see all his mates at the same time, but Theo had friends now. His life was full. His studying in all things supernatural was a lot more interesting than his college work, but he was managing to do both.

Skipping across the room, Theo gave a little butt shimmy before he pulled open the door. Dorky? Maybe, but sometimes Theo found it hard to hold all the happiness inside him.

He made sure to lock the door behind him before he hurried down the hall to the stairs. It didn’t take long for him to reach the outside door and for him to push through it.

Theo didn’t spot Garrett right away and started to worry that the gargoyle had taken off before the leaves of one branch moved to the side and Garrett’s smiling face appeared.

There he was!

Rushing forward, Theo bounced down the steps before crossing the sidewalk. He stopped under one of the widest branches before grinning up. Garrett floated down and landed on the ground with a hard thump.

“I’m so glad to see you again!” Theo said honestly. “Josh has been teaching me about your species and culture.” Theo placed his hand over his heart and made a circle. “Friend.”

Garrett’s ears swiveled before a huge toothy grin appeared.

Okay, so the dagger-sharp teeth were still a little freaky, but Garrett repeated the friend gesture back to Theo.

Theo beamed. He was super happy that Josh had shared that with him.

“I didn’t realize that you traveled this far.” Theo plopped to the ground as he spoke. If Garrett normally nested at Aleksander’s fathers’ house, then the university was a few hours away. Of course, with Josh attending school there, it would make sense that Garrett might show up.Theo was fairly sure that Garrett and Josh were mates, but no one had mentioned it yet. He didn’t want to pry if something else was going on.

Garrett hunched into himself, which seemed to shrink his size. If he was flesh and bones instead of stone, it wouldn’t even be weird that Garrett was sitting with him. Being a gargoyle seemed super complicated though. Lots of rules and customs. Theo was fine with being a plain ol’ cat if it meant that he could skip some of what Josh told him Garrett’s species expectations were.

“That’s cool that you can morph into different sizes,” Theo told his new friend, “And fly, of course—that would be amazing. I bet it would be fun to fly wherever you wanted,” he continued. He didn’t mind that his companion couldn’t speak back. He knew that Garrett was listening. “Josh told me it was okay to talk to you in public since humans would just see a blind spot. He said that I would just look like I was talking to myself.”

Not that there were a lot of people around. It was later in the evening and dinner was being served in the dining hall. A few other students walked around but no one was paying any attention to him.

“Hey!” Theo had a sudden thought. “Should I have gotten you something to eat? I didn’t even think about it, and it would be super rude to eat in front of you. I can call Wylder—”

Garrett shook his head before he petted Theo’s cheek.

“Alright, I’m going to take it that you’re not mad. I will totally share with you though.” Theo didn’t feel bad about having Wylder pick up his food since Dario had put funds in both their accounts. Technically it was Dario buying their meals. But Dario’s money bought all Theo’s meals. Not being hungry all the time was something that Theo hadn’t thought about much. He was even getting a bit of a belly, but when he tried to show Wylder, his mate had thought he was crazy.

Theo totally saw his stomach growing, no matter what his mate said.

Garrett stiffened, drawing Theo’s attention.

Wait…what was—

The ground under him shook.

Not like an earthquake.

There was something different.

Theo clambered to his feet but the grass… It rolled under him, knocking Theo to his knees.

“Garrett?” Theo reached out to the gargoyle who had returned to his stone form. No signs of life at all.

Hellcats! This couldn’t be good. No, this had to be bad. Very, very bad.

Pushing back up, Theo stood, placing one hand on the tree to keep upright as the ground moved under his feet.

That was not natural!

Blue smoke rose from between the grass blades.

He opened his mouth to call out for help, but the other students in the area didn’t seem to notice that anything was wrong. With one hand on Garrett and the other on the tree for support, Theo wasn’t sure what to do.

Theo didn’t want to leave Garrett behind.

He tried to take a step, but the blue smoke wrapped around his ankles, holding his feet frozen.

Oh no! The smoke moved up his ankles to his knees.

“H-help!” he called out, but his voice barely passed his lips.

The smoke now reached his hips.

Looking around frantically, Theo spotted two figures running toward him.

“W-Wylder!” he barely managed to croak out. In the distance Wylder and Josh were running at him, but they seemed to be getting farther away, not closer. “Wylder!” He tried again.

Below his feet, the ground opened. Theo dug his nails into the tree and gripped Garrett tighter.

He looked back at his mate, but Wyler was so far away.

Then Theo fell.